Free Cassandra's Sister by Veronica Bennett

dancer, and stepped repeatedly upon my gown. Oh, do not tell me Mr Heathcote dances clumsily! I cannot bear to hear it!”
    Jenny’s feelings hovered between disappointment for herself, greater disappointment for Mr Harwood, and happiness for Elizabeth, who clearly considered herself to have captured the affections of handsome Mr Heathcote. For his part, the vision of loveliness he saw across the leftovers must have obliterated the memory of the younger, less striking girl who was faithfully saving the last dance for him.
    â€œHe dances very well, Elizabeth,” Jenny assured her. “And I am quite sure you and he will attract the attention of the whole room.”
    Elizabeth embraced her impetuously. “What a good friend you are, Jenny! And is it not strange that everything can be going along quite normally, with John This and John That all in their usual places, and then the world stands on its head because a William Somebody has arrived!”
    â€œMost strange,” said Jenny, feeling suddenly hot.
    The lines were forming for the final dance. Jenny stood alone, struggling for composure. Then three things happened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw John Harwood quit the room, wearing his hat. John Portal led Martha to the set. And Jenny found herself approached by John Lyford. “Are you not engaged for this dance, Miss Austen? I would be honoured if you would bestow—”
    â€œNo,” she interrupted. “No, I am not engaged, but I do not wish to dance. I thank you, Mr Lyford, but I am very tired, and wish to sit down.”
    It was not so difficult to refuse after all. Mr Lyford retreated, and Jenny took a seat beside Mrs Bigg. The expression on Jenny’s face silenced any questions that lady might have had. With a heavy heart, Jenny watched the flying coat-tails and swirling skirts, the shiny foreheads and blotched cheeks which signified the end of an enjoyable evening. Cass, her hair escaping in tendrils at the nape of her neck, looked extremely pretty as she paraded up the set with Mr Blackall. Mary Lloyd was again dancing with Mr Lefroy, and Catherine with his nephew Ben.
    But like everybody in the room, Jenny looked mostly at William Heathcote and Elizabeth Bigg. Though it pained her to think of his conduct towards herself and Elizabeth’s towards John Harwood, there was no doubt that they
did
look very beautiful, and very happy, together. Poor John might have arrived at the ball with high hopes of securing a prize, but it was now very publicly clear that he would leave empty-handed.
    â€œWell, Jenny,” observed Cass, reappearing during the applause which followed the dance, “I do not recall when I have enjoyed a ball more. If only Tom were here!” She sat down beside Jenny, fanning herself enthusiastically. Then she seized the candle-holder on the table, and drew it nearer her sister’s face. “What is the matter?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œJenny…”
    â€œI want to go home,” declared Jenny. “Could you encourage Mrs Bigg and the others to make haste? I will tell you all about it tomorrow. Now, I beg you, leave me be.”
    Cassandra obeyed. But Jenny was aware all the way home in the carriage, while Elizabeth chattered on about William Heathcote, that she was not quite the same Jenny who had left Steventon Rectory earlier that day. She was not at all sure she liked it, but she had taken one more step into whatever it was that lay beyond her cherished childhood world.

BOOK TWO

Betrothed

Elinor and Marianne
    T he morning after the ball was reserved for discussing it.
    â€œHow can a gentleman behave in such an ungentlemanly fashion?” Jenny asked Cass after she had told her sister the story of William Heathcote’s defection.
    â€œQuite easily,” returned Cass, “if he is not a gentleman at all.”
    â€œDo not be so logical! I want an explanation for his behaviour, or, failing that, some words